International Llama Association
Educational Brochure

Llamas, who are long-lived, can provide an effective,
long-term and economical alternative for predator control in a variety of
farm and ranch conditions. Sheep and goat producers currently using llamas
to guard their flocks are experiencing high levels of protection from
predators.

The information presented here is drawn from data collected
through questionnaires and interviews with users of guard llamas. Although
recent surveys demonstrate that guard llamas are effective in preventing
livestock losses to predators, scientific surveys and controlled studies,
which track losses to predators in flocks with and without guard llamas are
needed.

While
bears, cougars, bobcats, foxes and eagles are predators of sheep and goats
and may be responsible for substantial
loss, a 1990 report showed that coyotes caused 64% and dogs 14% of losses.
Previous studies conducted in the western UnitedStates indicated that 76-100% of predator losses
were due to coyotes. Coyotes also account for over 50% of predator losses to
goatsin the top
five producing states.In the West,
where most predator losses occur, an average 1-2.5% of the ewes and 1-9% of
the lambs are killed annually.
Twenty to 25% of producers sustained losses that exceeded 10% of their
lambs, with some producers experiencing losses of 16%

and
higher.

Annual
sheep losses to predators in the United States were estimated at $21.7
million in 1990 and as high as $32-83 millionin previous years. Loss of goats to predators in
the top five producing states was $5.6 million in 1990.

Using
llamas as sheep guards in North America began in the early 1980s and some
sheep producers have used llamas
successfully for that entire time. The use of guard llamas has greatly
increased since a magazine article in 1990, when nationalattention was drawn to the potential use of
llamas for guarding sheep.

Llamas
have proven to be very effective against canines, especially dogs and
coyotes. Over half of the llamas guarding
sheep are 100% effective, completely eliminating losses. Many of these
producers previously suffered losses of over a hundred lambsper year. Some have not suffered a loss to
predators in two to ten years after purchasing guard llamas. An additional
40-45% of theguard llamas were highly
effective in dramatically reducing predator losses. Only 5-10% of the guards
were ineffective.

Although llamas have been credited by producers with eliminating or reducing
losses to large predators such as bears andmountain lions, some predators may be too large
or too aggressive for the llama. Llamas have been known to alert herders of
large

Training

No
training or previous association with sheep or goats is required for a llama
to be an effective guard animal.

Age

Llamas of a variety of ages at the time of initial introduction have proven
to be effective guards. Using llamas younger than oneyear is not recommended.

Sex

Although intact male llamas are effective guards, gelded llamas are
recommended. Intact males may attempt to breed theewes, and could cause deaths or injuries.
Gelding a mature intact llama should be completed several months before
introducing himto the flock to assure he
has lost interest in breeding. Too few individual female llamas are guarding
sheep to warrant conclusions ontheir
effectiveness. Females are very aggressive toward strange canines and
placing several female llamas with sheep in smallerpastures has prevented predation of sheep.

Ratio

A
single llama per flock is more effective than two or more llamas. Several
male llamas tend to bond with one another ratherthan with the sheep or goats and may ignore the
flock.

At
first sheep or goats may be afraid of the llama, and the llama may be
cautious of the sheep or goats.Ideally,
a llama should be introduced to the sheep while they are in a corral or
small pasture rather than on open range or largepasture. The llama should remain in a small area
until the sheep and llama seem well-adjusted and attached to each other.
Thisencourages bonding between the sheep
and llama. A llama introduced in this manner will be more effective as a
guard againstpredators.

Some
llamas appear to bond more quickly to sheep or goats if they are introduced
just prior to lambing. Research to date has shownthat the presence of lambs or kids at the time
of introduction did not influence the eventual effectiveness of the guard
llamas. Manysheep and goat producers
indicate a special bond quickly develops between lambs and their guard llama
and that the llama isparticularly
protective of the lambs.

Some
newly-introduced llamas are comfortable around people and may actually seek
out human companionship. Livestock
producers should avoid contact with this type of llama and not allow the new
llama to become attached to people. The llama needs tobond with the sheep or goats

Many
llamas have successfully guarded 200 to 1,000 sheep in a variety of pasture
situations. The optimum number that one
llama can guard has not been established and may depend on several factors,
such as terrain, vegetation, size of pasture and densityof predators. Although llamas have been
effective in guarding sheep grazing in forests and on open ranges,
insufficient data exists tomake firm
conclusions relative to their effectiveness in this environment.

Llamas
eat the same food as sheep and goats. The producer does not need to provide
special care or individually feed the
llamas each day as they do dogs. Llamas have a well-deserved reputation for
having good health and few medical problems. Theircalm disposition helps them avoid injury in the
field.

If
sheep and goat producers provide an effective health protection program for
their flocks, they can usually use the sameregimen of vaccinations, worming and hoof
trimming (toe nails for llamas), etc. for the llama. This usually includes
C&D clostridiadiseases and tetanus
vaccinations at the same dose per pound as sheep. Worming can be
accomplished by injectable or pour-on
bovine ivermectin or common oral worming pastes. In humid areas with large
populations of white-tail deer, meningeal worms maybe a problem to llamas. Guard lama owners are
encouraged to purchase a book on llama health care or obtain informationalpamphlets from the International Llama
Association.

Although llamas with short to medium wool may never need to be shorn, llamas
with longer wool may need to be shorn
every year or two.

Llamas
may suffer tick paralysis and, if ticks are, common in their area, owners
should be alert to the llama's condition
during tick season. Llamas may be afforded protection during the brief tick
season by administering Ivermectin.

Llamas
often live to be over 20 years of age. Although data on longevity of llamas
used for guards is limited, llamas in theirlate teens are continuing to be effective
guards.

Llamas
have a very low rate of mortality as guards. The Iowa State University study
reported the mortality of only 5% of the
204 guard llamas in their study. In contrast a national survey by the U.S.
Sheep Experiment Station at Dubois, Idaho, has shown that50% of guard dogs on ranches died within 18
months of introduction and 50% of those on farms died within 38 months. The
U.S.Sheep Experiment Station, which
developed and promoted methods for the use of guard dogs, recently purchased
llamas to guardtheir experimental
flocks.

Most
llamas have an innate dislike for canines. When a llama is placed with a
flock, he often becomes much more protectiveas he begins to bond with the flock and to
establish and protect a territory.

Most
guard llamas stay continually with the flock and prevent it from dispersing
widely. They often seek an elevated area
from which to watch the flock when it is spread out grazing. A minority of
the guards will stay separated, though near the flocks. Manyllamas take complete control of the flock
keeping them together and moving them to feed, water or shelter.

Llamas
are extremely alert and notice most things that happen in or near the
pasture. Llamas use a variety or combinationof methods to protect the sheep or goats. They
may immediately run or walk after a coyote or dog with the intention to
either stompor hit the predator with
their legs and chest. They may place themselves between the coyote or dog
and the sheep or goats. Theymay also
herd the sheep into a safe area or comer or they may prevent the flock from
entering an area where predator is located.

Some
llamas will sound their alarm call, a high pitched, pulsating vocalization,
during these activities or as soon as they see apredator. Some llamas have been reported to
display extraordinary protective behavior such as herding the sheep to
safety duringsnow, seeking help when
needed, and lying down by newborn babies to protect them from wind and
weather.

Although llamas may initially be aggressive toward the family dog or herding
dogs that the producer uses to move the flock, theyusually learn to tolerate their presence. It is
not unusual for the guard llama to chase herding dogs if they cause the
lambs tocontinually cry out.It is recommended that guard llamas and guard
dogs not be used in the same flock.

Llamas
have been successfully used to protect animals such as cattle and exotic
deer. Some producers have effectively
used llamas to protect their emus or ostriches by constructing a fenced run
around the perimeter of their bird pens for the llama. Dataregarding these other types of animals has not
yet been collected.

While
further studies need to be conducted to determine the physical, behavioral
and breeding characteristics that make thebest guards, llamas of many different sizes make
effective guardians. A llama significantly larger than the sheep or goats
would havesome advantages in seeing and
frightening predators away from the flock.

Llamas
with long body and/or leg wool may need special attention. More frequent
shearing may be required as their wool
collects burrs, twigs and debris.

Llamas
train very easily. Training greatly facilitates their loading, moving and
ease of administration of medications, as wellas the working and loading of sheep or goats.
Llamas that halter, lead and load easily and also permit handling of their
body and legswill be easier to manage.

Llamas
that have bonded to humans due to bottle feeding or excessive handling may
not make good guards, especially inthe
proximity of humans.

Guard
llamas often drastically reduce, or in some cases, completely eliminate
predator losses. The value of livestock savedeach year often exceeds the initial cost of the
llama and the small annual maintenance. Even for the small producer, a llama
iseconomical when cost is amortized over
the llama's effective guard life. Llamas live a long time, have low
maintenance, require notraining, and
protect the flock from other environmental hazards. In addition to
increasing profits, they also decrease costs associatedwith traditional predator control methods used
by federal agencies. Guard llamas provide an acceptable environmental method
toprevent predation.